Tenant wanted - 10 Downing Street

Tenant wanted

Georgian townhouse in sought-after central London location

Fixed five-year tenancy (can be renegotiated)

Theresa May surprised everyone by calling a snap general election. She is obviously confident she won't be moving out of number 10 anytime soon.

While party leaders, MPs and wannabe MPs are all highly excited at the prospect of another election so soon after the last one and the EU referendum, their joy isn't shared by everyone.

The almost universal reaction from the public was, "Oh no, not another vote." Hardly anyone is looking forward to our TV screens being taken over by publicity hungry, vote seeking politicians who all have a PHD in being able to talk for hours without answering a single question.

That said, most of us will be interested in what the political parties of all stripes have in store for us if they are elected in June. However, so far concrete pledges are a little thin on the ground so let's look at what will be on the wish list of the voters:

Home buyers

Those looking to buy a home will be keeping a keen eye on the economic policies of the main parties. A dip in the economy could lead to more expensive mortgages though, with interest rates low, that is unlikely to happen.

Prospective buyers will also be monitoring the parties Brexit strategies. A leave vote in the EU Referendum was supposed to see house prices crashing. This never happened though there has been a slowdown of growth in London. Buyers will be hoping for a drop in house prices after the election no matter who wins the vote.

Affordable housing

This election will feature plenty of rhetoric on housing. Affordable housing, for both buyers and renters, will be a hot topic with politicians on all sides keen to be seen as the champions of low-cost housing. They will be keen to benefit from the votes of tenants and potential homeowners.

There will be pledges on how many homes will be built and how politicians will ensure as many people as possible will be able to afford them.

Unfortunately, what politicians promise on housing and what they actually deliver can be quite different.

The 2004 Labour government pledged to build a number of housing developments with prices pegged at £60,000. Unfortunately, the actual costs were far higher with the average cost of a house in one development being over £230,000.

Don't believe everything you read in a manifesto.

Rent controls

Still on the affordability theme, tenants will be looking for firm commitments to rent control.

Whilst many look at affordable housing purely in the sense of buying a home it also extends to renting.

Rents are spiralling right across the country, particularly in London, and some young people are spending half of their income on rent. Tenants will be looking for politicians to come up with some way of regulating private rental sector landlords. With almost no-one opposed to rent control this could be a big vote winner.

Vendors

Rather like homebuyers, vendors will be examining the fiscal policies of the main parties. They will be looking for a party which will be able to maintain a strong economy.

Economic growth means more money in people’s pockets, banks willing to lend, and house prices rising. If you are looking to sell your home in the near future, this is exactly what you want to see. The party with the best record and pledges on the economy will be likely to attract the votes of vendors.

Landlords

If there is one section of the electorate looking on with trepidation as the political parties scheme and plan it is private sector landlords.

Having taken a battering over the last couple of years from a surcharge on stamp duty, reduction in tax relief, and the so-called green tax landlords will be preparing themselves for another onslaught as rent control and affordable housing will be very much in the sights of the politicians.

It's in the manifesto

Although most of us are jaded with elections and politicians tub-thumping we all have a vested interest in what the parties reveal in their manifestos. Watch this space.